The invention relates to a method and apparatus for dispensing sheets, in particular bank notes, security documents and the like.
There is an increasing requirement, particularly in the retain area, for a bank note dispensing system which is simple, reliable, and secure. In the past, sheet dispensing methods and apparatus have involved complex feed systems involving pivoting conveyor belts and moving diverters and these systems are too expensive for use in a retail area such as a small shop.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a method of dispensing sheets from a store comprises:
(a) withdrawing a single sheet from the store; PA1 (b) feeding the withdrawn sheet to transport means; PA1 (c) preventing further sheets from being withdrawn from the store; PA1 (d) detecting whether a single sheet has been correctly fed to the transport means; PA1 (e) causing the transport means to pass the sheet in a first direction to an output station or in a second, opposite direction to a reject position according to the result of the detection step; and, PA1 (f) if a further sheet is to be dispensed, enabling a further sheet to be withdrawn from the store, and repeating steps (a) to (f) until the required quantity of sheets has been fed to the output station.
This method provides a very simple dispensing system which allows the reject function to be obtained at a very small incremental cost and with a high degree of reliability. Thus, the transport means is caused to feed the sheets singly either to the output station or in a reverse direction to the reject position which may conveniently be positioned in the store.
Typically, step (d) will comprise detecting whether two or more sheets have been withdrawn from the store together.
Preferably, the step (c) of preventing further sheets from being withdrawn from the store is carried out when a leading edge of a sheet is firmly gripped by the transport means. In this way, each sheet is positively moved either while being withdrawn from the store or by the transport means.
In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, sheet dispensing apparatus comprises a sheet store; first feed means for withdrawing single sheets from the store and second feed means for feeding the sheets from the first feed means in a first direction to an output station, the arrangement being such that sheets are selectively fed to the first feed means; and first detection means for detecting an incorrect feed, the second feed means being reversible whereby, when an incorrect feed is detected, the or each incorrectly fed sheet is passed by the second feed means to a reject position.
The first and second feed means may be separately driven, the first feed means being selectively driven such that the first feed means is stopped as soon as a single sheet has been withdrawn from the store.
As an alternative to the use of two separately driven feed means, the first and second feed means may be provided by a common feed system, the apparatus further comprising a selectively operable solenoid pusher for pushing sheets in the store away from the feed system after a single sheet has been withdrawn from the store
In both these cases, once a sheet has been withdrawn from the store, the feeding of further sheets from the store is prevented.
Conveniently, the sheet dispensing apparatus includes control means for controlling operation of the feed means in response to control signals representing the quantity of sheets which are to be dispensed. It is particularly convenient if the apparatus further comprises second detection means arranged to detect the presence of a sheet downstream of the first detection means when the sheet protrudes into the output station. This allows the apparatus to determine when a sheet has been dispensed. Preferably, the first detection means is positioned such that when the first detection means detects the leading edge of a sheet, the sheet has been withdrawn from the store. With this arrangement, further sheets may be prevented from being withdrawn from the store until an already withdrawn sheet has been removed from the second feed means either at the output station or when the sheet or sheets have been passed to the reject position.
Preferably, the first detection means is arranged to detect whether two or more sheets have been withdrawn from the store together. For example the first detection means may comprise a known doubles detect arrangement.
Preferably, the length of the second feed means is greater than the length of a sheet to be fed. This prevents a sheet from being inadvertently removed at the output station if it has been incorrectly fed and before the second feed means has been reversed to pass the incorrectly fed sheet to the reject position.
Conveniently, the sheet store is removable and may comprise a conventinal bank note cassette.
The dispensing apparatus could be arranged as a self-contained unit or it could be included as part of a conventional dispenser mechanism housed in a fixed secure container. In addition, the apparatus could be included in an automated cash dispensing mechanism including both a coin dispenser and, where necessary, a bank note/coin acceptor.
The output station of the sheet dispensing apparatus could be arranged adjacent to a conventional sheet presenter including, for example, a conventional stacking wheel so that a stack of sheets could be dispensed to a user.